This is a release is a simple fix to issue #176: Can't Import .dnd4e files.

This release includes a significant change to the internal logic of the tracker. The new implementation of the initiative order allows combatants to appear more than once on the other. Besides these changes several minor changes happened to various components and user interface elements. The new implementation is cleaner and will support new features.

The following issues and feature request have been addressed in this version:

• #55: Generated IDs are not always freed
• #62: Tighter control of Rest, Start Combat and End Combat
• #83: Add combat level comments/notes
• #87: End Round will lockup if all combatant are dead
• #105: Adding combatants rolling initiative in the middle of a combat
• #162: Handle combatant with multiple initiative order entries
• #167: Add line breaks to generated Stat Block
• #170: Add Rage duration

In addition to these issues the following has been added:

• Round bound effect (i.e End of Turn) can now only be applied to combatant in initiative order.
• You must start combat explicitly.
• Before you start combat you can re-roll any initiative.
• Initiative order can be displayed as as a table or as a round-robin (like on previous versions).

While a lot of effort has been placed in testing, we recommend you make sure VCC continues to behave as you expect on this new release. There have been a significant number of changes which may led to a different user experience or some new instability.

This release includes some feature changes and a bug fix. Internally there are some changes on the library layout, names and packaging. Because of these changes we have to release it as a full version.

Fixes and features include:

• #120: Import Character Builder files: just the basic information in being collected.
• #150: Cannot import monsters with italic lines in the power description
• #153: Recalling folder used

A special thank to Bjarte Stien Karlsen for providing use with the base code to import Character Builder files. More help is welcome.

This version fixes an issue that popped up on Firefox 3.6 and the D&D Insider capture. Due to a change on the Firefox behavior capturing information from the Insider site failed. This patch will work with Firefox 3.5.x and 3.6.

The following issue is handled by this patch:

• #154: Fail all capture on Firefox 3.6

This version fixes several problem in the D&D Insider capture logic (issue #145: Fail to capture some monster). Some entries are misformed on the online compendium. In those cases VCC would fail to capture valid data. The new logic has been cleanup and will capture the monsters that caused problems. This includes version includes some changes to the import logic to support future capture of other entries.

There is a change to where VCC stores raw captured data. The previous version stored captured information temporary directory. The new version stores data in the VCC Base Directory. This means that data captured on previous versions will not be seem. Users must move the files from the temporary directory to the new <VCC Base>/dndicache/monster directory. As an alternative you can recapture the monsters.

This version brings a major change to the layout of the screen, enabling greater user control of the tracker appearance.

The following issues were handled:

• #88: Have acting Combatant informationation available at all time
• #101: Navigating vcc with keyboard
• #113: Hit DELETE to Cancel Effect
• #125: Use docking frame to allow reorganizing interface
• #131: Loading Party files from previous version does nothing
• #132: Confirm close of main window
• Redesign and simplification of the Initiative action panel;
• More flexible compendium location;
• Improvements to make VCC Mac friendly, mostly allowing it to be packaged as a Mac Application Bundle.
• Sample compendium data for those that want to give it a try.

The VCC data file location in now more dynamic. Paths are now relative to the VCC install directory or to the user home directory. This allows VCC directory to be moved around, including to removable media (like memory keys). If you run version 1.0.0 and want to change the configuration, you will need to delete the vcc.properties files (found in the user home directory or in you VCC installation directory). When you run VCC again, it will ask for the configuration directory.

If you have a previous compendium and want to import the sample data, you have to delete vcc.properties and the compendium directory. Demo data was captured using the plugin and includes some basic characters information from the Keep on the Shadowfell, and a band of goblins (no big creatures, and all of these creatures are available publicly on the Wizards site).

This is the first release with the new Compendium format. It allows collection of monster information from the D&D Insider website and reusing collected data in several encounters. Among the new features:

• Full combatant statblock (as imported from the the D&D Insider site)
• Create encounters from your captured monsters, including calculating all XP;
• Add Perception, Insight, senses and comments to character stat blocks;
• Add XP and comments to user-made/edited monster stat blocks;
• Improved start-up procedure and logging of errors, which will help treat errors in the future;
• High quality HTML stat blocks (looks like the ones on the books and site);
• Now stores data in a base directory, keeping all data in the same place;
• General improvements in stability.

It also resolves the following issues:

• #53: Refactor data files
• #103: Import data from D&D Insider
• #108: Desktop Icon and hiding BAT window
• #112: Senses in Character Display
• #117: Moving combatant around results in deadlock.

Note to previous version users: The new compendium and party formats are not compatible to previous data. While this means you will have to recreate the files, the new combatant and party editors should make this a very easy task.

This is a quick fix to a single issue:

• #117: Moving combatant around results in deadlock.

This version includes the following changes:

• #97: Keyboard Shortcuts: add several good short cuts that make it easier to control VCC (see Keyboard Short Cuts);
• Changing the combat sequence will automatically select the first combatant (as was true in older versions).
• Fixed spelling mistakes

This is a roll-up release containing several fixes and a new directory, distribution and update strategy. For those using 0.92.3 the only new feature is the "Update Manager". This feature should make keeping Virtual Combat Cards up to date much easier.

This version brings:

• Update Manager: this will make VCC update itself; go to Help > Check for Updates ... to check if you VCC is up to date.
• Minor changes on the user interfaces (like the help menu).

For users that are using older versions (0.90, 0.91, or 0.92) we strongly recommend moving to this version. As of 0.92.3 several fixes made the core operations much more stable.

In comparison to version 0.90.0 this version includes, the following changes:

• Fixed and features on version 0.92.3:
  • #75: Lockup on Move up after Move up: Closely related to issue #85, trying to work around this issue improves the error handling inside the tracker. This should leave it more stable.
  • #84: Changing initiative order: This is a important feature request to help implement the Guileful swith Warlord power.
  • #85: Lockup on Delay: As part of the work to figure out what was happening on issue #75, we discovered two real bugs: dead delaying combatants could cause hang ups and due to a race condition in the user interface the end round button was active when it should not be.
• Fixed on version 0.92.2:
  • #72: HP input field shinks to an unusable size on small screens.
  • #78: VCC not working on MAC OS X 10.5
• Fixed on version 0.92.1:
  • #73: Delayed creature results in a deadlock
• Changes and fixes on version 0.92:
  • #59: Have End Round always available: this eliminates some of the clicking;
  • #64: Stretchable Comments and Notes: Separation between Active Effects and Comments is now adjustable;
  • #68: Memorize Effect on the Panel : Memorization of effects on the effect panel, and additional panels if space allows this;
  • Added Icon to the windows, and some minor changes on the opening size of the main windows.
• Changes on version 0.91.0:
  • Group Initiative, you can now roll initiative in groups of similar name and initiative.
  • PC & Monster at a glance new color schemes on the combatant table to make clear which are the PC and Monsters.
  • Damage formulas: when applying damage and healing, you can now use formulas like: s+7 (Surge Value + 7); or b+1 (Bloody value +1, this will surely make a PC bloody).
  • Some minor improvements on the operation and looks & feel: bad formula on the damage field will disable buttons, applying damage does not clear the damage field (you can apply the same value to various combatants)

This patch release addresses some critical issues in the combat tracker. Under some conditions Delaying combatant could cause lockups on the internal tracker. While the UI was still active, no further command would work.

As a means to contain this and other potential problem, the tracker now handles exceptions in order to avoid the lockup. This should make the Virtual Combat Cards much more stable and allows undo and redo operation to try to work around eventual errors causing actions.

• #75: Lockup on Move up after Move up: Closely related to issue #85, trying to work around this issue improves the error handling inside the tracker. This should leave it more stable.
• #84: Changing initiative order: This is a important feature request to help implement the Guileful swith Warlord power.
• #85: Lockup on Delay: As part of the work to figure out what was happening on issue #75, we discovered two real bugs: dead delaying combatants could cause hang ups and due to a race condition in the user interface the end round button was active when it should not be.

Many thanks to joeman for his help on issue #85: Lockup on Delay and #75: Lockup on Move up after Move up.

This is essentially a Mac enabling patch. Previous versions were not working correctly Mac OS X. In order to get VCC running on Mac you must follow this installation procedure.

The following issues are included on this version.

• #72: HP input field shinks to an unusable size on small screens.
• #78: VCC not working on MAC OS X 10.5

Not having tested on Mac for some time, VCC was not running on a pristine Mac. This was due to the default JRE version and the fact that the initialization script could get the correct version. If you have a Mac and would like to run Virtual Combat Cards please let us know and report issues.

This release is a quick patch to a serious deadlock issue when delaying combatants in version 0.92.

The issues involved in this release are:

• #73: Delayed creature results in a deadlock

Version 0.92 of Virtual Combat Cards is a patch to handle several requests made by users. There are some nice improvements to the UI and usability, most important is the ability to memorize effects per combatant. This makes adding effects easier, requiring less clicks.

This version implements some feature request and addressed other minor issues:

• #59: Have End Round always available: this eliminates some of the clicking;
• #64: Stretchable Comments and Notes: Separation between Active Effects and Comments is now adjustable;
• #68: Memorize Effect on the Panel : Memorization of effects on the effect panel, and additional panels if space allows this;
• Added Icon to the windows, and some minor changes on the opening size of the main windows.

This is a Patch Install to be installed on top of version 0.90.

This patch version includes the following changes:

• Group Initiative, you can now roll initiative in groups of similar name and initiative.
• PC & Monster at a glance new color schemes on the combatant table to make clear which are the PC and Monsters.
• Damage formulas: when applying damage and healing, you can now use formulas like: s+7 (Surge Value + 7); or b+1 (Bloody value +1, this will surely make a PC bloody).
• Some minor improvements on the operation and looks & feel: bad formula on the damage field will disable buttons, applying damage does not clear the damage field (you can apply the same value to various combatants)

Note: This is a patch version, you need to install version 0.90 and then extract this file to the same directory.

The fifth release of Virtual Combat Cards D&D 4th Edition combat tracker is out . The version number was bumped to 0.90 to reflect the fact that the tool, as originally planed, is nearly done. The most important new feature is the tracking of effect and conditions. Now effects can be tracked individually and those that have time bound duration are expire automatically (such as: End your of Next Turn). This makes tracking effects much easier, avoiding the need of going back and forth and checking if the effects are still in effect.